The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1887-08-18
THE ROANOKE AND SOUTHERN.

CHOW about the Roanoke and South
ern r. r.? ?" is asked almost every day.
All our people of Northwestern
North Carolina are deeply interested,
From the Charlotte Chronicle we get
the statement about the matter, made
there last Thursday, at the meeting
held for the purpose OF trying for
Southern connection and outlet after
the road shall have reached Winston
Salem.
On being introduced to the meet
ing, Mr. Lomax said: Il ana the rep
| resentative of the New York Con
struction Company, who propose to
| construct the Roanoke & Southern
Railway from Roanoke south, which
it is proposed shall be southern out
,et for the Norfolk & Western and
Shenandoah Valley railways from
Roanoke We have located our line
from Roanoke as far south as Win
ston, ant now have two parties of To-
eating engineers in the field between
these two points. The first named
from Roanoke south has been out
since the middle of July; the other
is just beginning to survey from Win
ston, north. 1t is hoped that these
surveys will be completed by the mid
die Of December. We have never
intended that Winston should be the
terminus of the line; but it was made
a temporary stopping point for the
purposes of organization and conven-
fence. 1t is the purpose Of the com
pany to build the line further south
to a connection with the principal
trade centres, and to the South Allan
tic Sea-boar Independent of existing
lines. Our plans south of Winston
have not been defil itely settled upon.
The matter of making Charlotte the
terminus has been discussed, provided
that point can be made available to
our purposes. The conditions prece
dent upon our coming to Charlotte
are three cardinal ones, namely:
LIST. The ability to secure indepen-
dent connections to the South and the
Atlantic Sea-Beard.
End. The volume of business that
could be gained, and consequent de-
velopment Of new territory traversed
by the new line, and
3D. The financial aid that could
be secured, and friendly influence ex-
erted on behalf of the road. 1t would
seem from superficial standpoint
that Charlotte would fulfill all Of
these conditions, provided the new
lines under construction from Char
lotte south, would assume friendly re-
lations with the Roanoke d Southern
road for an interchange of traffic 1t
is the purpose of the construction
company, so soon as our plans south
of Winston shall have been decided
npon, to place corps of engineers in
the field to survey for location &c,
in order that the work along the en-
tire line may be begun and completed
simultaneously. 1t is the hope of the
New York people that such decisive
steps may be taken by the meeting
held to-day, that we may be able to
arrive at a just and speedy conclusion.
The benefits to be derived from
new trunk line, north and south,
which the Roanoke & Southern is de-
signed to be, are obvious. For with
as favorable connections to the south
and southeast as the Shenandoah
Valley and Norfolk & Western, at
Roanoke, will give us to the north and
northeast, the Roanoke & Southern
will at once enter as a potent factor
into the commerce of the country, and
become one of the principal highways
for which the south is becoming noted.
Such, gentlemen, as briefly stated
are the plans and purposes of the
Roanoke q Southern Railway Com
pany, and your deliberations to-day
will, in a manner, shape our plans
and determine the destiny of the en-
.erprise."
South Carolina sent several delega-
lions and Salisbury, Statesvilse Da-
wilson College and other points put
in bids for the roai.
Mr.. Theo. F. Kluttz, of Salisbury,
stated that he was present as dele |
gate from that town, the delegation
being headed by Mayor Neave. He |
saw no reason why Salisbury should |
not be on the line, for an air line
from Winston to Charleston would |
take in Salisbury. He would be
glad to be put in connection with
and Charlotte, they were
North Carolina towns of which he was
proud. He was authorized to say
that Salisbury and Rowan would give
aid-hard cash.
Mr.. III. w. Fries, as an officer of
The Roanoke &Southern, said Lomax's
had given him proof that it
has good backing
Mr.. III. Fries stated that the Roam
,ke Il Southern was organized to Win
ton, but he could not say where it
would go from there.
vas that the Roanoke & Southern de
tired to influence the G. G. & G. road
o connect with them at Charlotte.
The SENTINEL believes that the
Roanoke & Southern r. r. will be
,Hilt, whether the Bullock Construc-
ion Company undertake it or not,
or with Salisbury, Charlotte and
1aurens, s. G., bidding for it, with
Ninston's and Roanoke's subscrip-
ions almost a certainty and with the
ssistance which smaller towns along
he line will undoubtedly give, the
B. & S. can very easily find a COM
AMY who can and will push it through.
Within three years We expect to see
v inston-Salem ON a through line, ex-